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One would think that a team that’s 22-2 wouldn’t have a worry in the world.

No issues, no decisions to make, no controversies, no anything. After all, the London Lightning have pretty much done what they wanted in the National Basketball League of Canada this season. Despite having a target painted on their backs as defending champs, the Lightning have managed to build a team that most of the other coaches in the NBL believe is better than the championship team.

But there may be a few rough patches to get over before the regular season and they won’t all be on the basketball court.

On the court it will get a lot more difficult for the Lightning. They only have five more regular season games at home, and 11 on the road.

So far road games have not been an issue. The only two losses for the Lightning have come at home. They are 9-0 away from the Budweiser Gardens.

So what’s not to be happy about?

When you have a team that’s as good as the Lightning that can go 10 or 11 players deep, the biggest problem is not what happens on the floor but what’s happening off the floor.

After a home game last week, Micheal Ray Richardson addressed the issue of floor time, admitting it was tough to find playing time for everyone who wanted to and deserved to play.

It’s only going to get more crowded sometime in the next week or so.

The Lightning will see the return of swing forward Morgan Lewis. He’s been out several weeks with a knee strain and he is getting close to coming back.

That will precipitate the need to find room on the roster.

No one is saying anything until the time to make the decision arrives but it’s become obvious either Marvin Phillips or De’Andre Thomas will go to make room.

Over the last five games, Phillips has made a solid case to stay. He’s providing the team with what it needs more than scoring — and that’s rebounding and defence. This team could also use a little sandpaper and Phillips gives them that, too.

Thomas is a tough man to handle inside, but he has issues with consistency, rebounding and defence.

But imagine having to make a decision to release Thomas who is arguably one of the most popular of the Bolts. When he heads to the scorer’s table, he gets everyone’s attention in the Gardens. He’s been given a variety of nicknames including Big Baby and the Crusher.

“We’ll do what’s right for the team,” Richardson said.

Richardson will also have to develop his skill at juggling.

For one, he’s going to have to find a way to keep guards DeAnthony Bowden and Adrian Moss happy.

Bowden, the veteran, has been a starter through his career but recently watched Moss take his starting spot.

On one hand, Moss is a real talent who is only going to get better. On the other, Bowden has been through just about every situation in basketball and emerged as a champion.

Moss has come in on days when Bowden has struggled and helped the team win. But on Sunday, Moss was having a tough day and Bowden came in and helped turn the game around. So far, it’s been a win-win situation.

But if there is one thing that’s as certain as Richardson wearing a flashy and expensive pair of shoes on game nights, it’s a situation where egos need to be handled with delicacy.

The two of them create multiple match-up problems for opposing teams and since they are both relatively fresh most of the game, it puts great pressure on what may be an overworked point guard from the other side.

Richardson isn’t worried about any of this. He’ll continue to do what he thinks is best for the team while demanding the players do what they are getting paid to do — play whenever and wherever they are asked.

It would be a bonus if everyone could be happy.

Most of the other NBL teams would love to have these kinds of problems. But since it doesn’t seem a lack of talent is going to be the Lightning’s downfall, it always pays to look ahead and make sure there’s no other issues that might do them in.

If there is one thing as certain as Richardson wearing a flashy shoes, it’s a situation where egos need to be handled with delicacy.